Currently, standards bodies such as 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) and 3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project 2) are developing standards specifications for wireless telecommunications systems. (These groups may be contacted via http://www.3gpp.org/ and http://www.3gpp2.com/, respectively.) In particular, proposals for new physical layer link descriptions are being developed and submitted for consideration. In general, wireless technologies that employ spreading and two-stage ranging rely on remote units to randomly select a spreading channel code to use with their initial ranging signal. The limited number of ranging codes and the frequency of collisions between units using the same code for access degrade the performance of user services (greater access delays, e.g.) and diminish user experience, particularly with time sensitive services such as push-to-talk. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an improved method and apparatus for spreading channel code selection applicable to these wireless technologies.
Specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed below with reference to FIGS. 1-5. Both the description and the illustrations have been drafted with the intent to enhance understanding. For example, the dimensions of some of the figure elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements, and well-known elements that are beneficial or even necessary to a commercially successful implementation may not be depicted so that a less obstructed and a more clear presentation of embodiments may be achieved. In addition, unless specifically indicated, the order and grouping of signaling is not a limitation of other embodiments that may lie within the scope of the claims
Simplicity and clarity in both illustration and description are sought to effectively enable a person of skill in the art to make, use, and best practice the present invention in view of what is already known in the art. One of skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific embodiments described below without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative and exemplary rather than restrictive or all-encompassing, and all such modifications to the specific embodiments described below are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.